The parents of a 19-month-old are concerned because he has frequent temper tantrums when he cannot communicate his needs. He points and grunts but has a vocabulary of only 10 words. He otherwise seems happy and interactive. What is the most appropriate initial advice for the parents?
The parents of an 8-month-old are frustrated. The infant, who had been sleeping for 6-hour stretches, has started waking frequently at night and crying. They are worried about “spoiling” him if they respond. What is the most likely developmental reason for this change in sleep pattern?
A pediatrician is planning the well-child visit schedule for a new patient. The parents want to know when routine screening for autism spectrum disorder is typically performed. At which two well-child visits is universal screening for autism spectrum disorder recommended?
A 14-year-old boy presents with a 6-month history of profound daytime sleepiness and “sleep attacks.” His mother also notes that when he laughs hard with his friends, his head sometimes drops and his speech becomes slurred for a few seconds. In addition to a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), which test would be most specific for diagnosing narcolepsy type 1 in this patient?
A 5-year-old explains why he didn’t take a cookie without permission: “Because Mommy would get mad and put me in time-out.” According to Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, this child’s reasoning is characteristic of which stage?
A 4-year-old’s grandfather recently died. The mother is concerned because the child repeatedly asks, “When is Grandpa coming back?” despite being told he has died. The child also believes his grandfather is just “sleeping.” What is the best explanation for the child’s behavior?
The parents of a 20-month-old are happy to report their child is starting to pretend-play. They note she will “feed” her doll with an empty spoon. This type of play, where a symbolic transformation is no longer tied only to the toddler’s own body, is characteristic of cognitive changes that occur at what age?
A pediatrician is performing a well-child check on a 14-month-old infant who was exclusively breastfed for the first year of life. Which growth charts are recommended for use in this child?
